Culture, Religion, History and News

Archive for December, 1999

FARIDABAD, Dec 20 — The fundamentalist Taliban government in
Afghanistan has issued a number of strict orders to be followed by the
Hindus and Sikhs in that country. Most of the non-Muslims have already
left Afghanistan after the takeover of the country by Pakistan-backed
Taliban and have taken refuge in India.

A copy of the order issued by the government under rule 10 of the
Islamic Shara which has been sent to the President of Gurdwara
Karteparwan, Kabul, was procured by the Tribune from a Hindu refugee
settled here in the town.

It says that non-Muslims, including Hindus Sikhs and Christians cannot
build any new place of worship but can worship in places already in
existence. The area of the place cannot be increased but could only be
repaired.

Non-Muslims must wear dresses of yellow colour, which should have a
mark for their identification, dress of priest or saint should not be
worm and their cap should be of black colour.

Non-Muslim women can only come out of their houses, covered entirely
with a ‘chaddhara’ with only their faces visible. The chaddhara should
be of yellow colour. They should not wear jewellery of gold but of
iron only.

Non-Muslims are not allowed to possess weapons. They must put a
two-metre yellow cloth on the top of their houses so that it could be
identified from a distance.

Hindus, Sikhs and Christians cannot live with Muslims in one house. If
they are already there they should immediately vacate it.

The non-Muslims are also not permitted to file case in courts against
Muslims.

An Afghan Hindu refugee who escaped to India after takeover by the
Taliban said that hundreds of them were living in different parts of
India in object poverty. They could not get ration cards or take up
government jobs as they had not been granted Indian citizenship
despite being in the land of their ancestors for the past several
years.